John alexander schmahl



(No Model.)

. J. A. s0HMAHL.

RAILROAD TIE.

No. 602,388. .Patented Apr. 12,1898.

Jim fz sczwzzf Erica,

ATENT JOHN ALEXANDER SOHMAHL, OF FAIRMAN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TOv SARAH'MATI'IILDA SCHMAI-IL, OF SAME PLAOE.

RAlLROAD-TIE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 602,888, dated April12, 1898.

Application filed May ll, 1897.

To aZZ whom it may conccrn: I

Be it known that I, JOHN ALEXANDER SOHMAHL, of Fairman, in the county ofMarion and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Metallic Railroad-Ties; and I do 'hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide a metallic railroad-tie whichwill be comparatively light and the parts so disposed and braced as topresent a strong and durable structure that will properly support therails to withstand the jars which come upon the same in use. To this endthe railroad-tie is made up, preferably, of galvanized iron bent to formbottom and side pieces, the edges of the latter being recessed toreceive the rails, which are held in place by retaining plates or clampsand rest upon chairs which are bolted to the side pieces of the tie, acrosspiece being secured to the under side or bottom of the tie toassist in making a secure engagement with the road-bed.

Having the above objects in view, the inven tion consists in a metallicrailroad-tie having upwardly-projecting side fianges at right angles toand integral with the bottom of the tie and which are recessed toreceive the rails, retaining plates or clamps for holding the rails inengagement with the tie, means for bracing and preventing spreading andcollapsing of the side fianges of the tie to each other, and across-piece which engages the road-bed to prevent movement of the tie.

In the following' specification I have entered into a detaileddescription of the different parts which constitute my invention,reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to letters 01' numerals thereon,which designate the difierent parts, and what I considerto be the novel features of construction are specifically set forth inthe claim.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure1 is a perspective view of a railroad-tie constructed in accordance withmy invention. Fig. 2 is a tie from one'side piece to the other.

Serial No. 636,014. (No model.)

side elevation. Fig. 3, is a longitudinal sectional view, and Fig. 4 isa transverse sec- ,tonal view.

vReferring to the drawings by numerals and letters, 1 designates thebottorn of the railroadtie, fromV which the side pieces 2 2 exten'dupward at the edges thereof, presenting a metallic tie whichispractically U -shaped in crosssection. The metal of which the tie ismade is preferably galvanized iron, as it possesses certain qualitieswhich will add to the strength and durability of the tie. The sidepieces 2 2 are provided with recesses 3 that receive the rails, andbelow said recesses, preferabl5T on theinner sides, are boltedangle-iron chairs 4, presenting a cross-piece upon which the rails rest,the said chair having dependin g end flanges through which theretaining-bolts pass. In order to hold the rails in positive engagementwith the tie, I provide certain retaining plates or clamps, whichconsist of the plates 5 5, having bevel ends a, which overlie thebaSe-fianges of the rail and bear thereon, the said plates being heldsecurely in position by transverse bolts 6 6, which extend across the Itwill be observed that each side piece of the tie is provided with platesat opposite sides of the recesses therein which receive the rail, andthe said plates are securely held by the bolts, which pass through thesame near their opposite ends. i Upon the bolts 6 6,which secure theretaining-plates in place, are mounted tubes 7 of a length to bearbetween the re- ,taining-plates at opposite sides of the tie, said tubesforming'braces which prevent the side pieces from bending inward, theheads of the bolts and nuts on the opposite ends preventing a spreadingmovement of the side pieces with respect to each other.

In connection with a railroad-tie constructed as hereinbefore describedI provide the same with a cross-piece 8, which is attached 'to the underside of the said tie at the central portion thereof and engages theroad-bed to prevent movement of the tie thereon.

By forming the railroad-tie of galvanized iron it is not affeoted byrust, and will consequently be very durable, and, if desired, the

part thereof between the side pieces could be filled With rubble orcomposition to assist in holding it in place.

From the foregoing description, in connection With the accompanyingdrawings, it will be apparent that I provide a metallic railroad-tiewhich Will be cheap in construction and thoronghly braced to Withstandthe pressure or Weight that will come upon the same, the devices orclamps for holding the rail in en gagement With the tie preventing anypossibility of the rail spreading, while also bracing the side pieces ofthe tie.

The tubes 7 on the tie-bolts 6 afiord a means for clamping and holdingthe side plates absolutely in fiXecl relation to each other to pre- Ventrattling.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-- A railWay-tie formed of sheet metal Withrecessed, Vertical, parallel side flanges integral With the bottoln, incombination with through-bolts connect-img said side fianges, sleeves011 said bolts intermediate said fianges, parallel rail-clamping bars onthe throughbolts at the opposite ends of the sleeves and on oppositesides of the rail, intermediate the ends of the sleeves and the sideflanges of the tie, and clainped by said sleeves and through-boltsagainst the side flanges of the tie, and angle-iron chairs havingpendent, Vertical end fianges secnred to the sides of the tie, saidchairs extending from one side to the other under the recesses in theside flanges in the tie, substantially as described.

In testiinony Whereof I have signed this specification in the prcsenceof two Subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN ALEXANDER SCIIMAIIL.

lVitnesses:

J. S. BELLAMY, NATHAN SHERMAN.

